Fourths to walter a



(No. Model.)

0. F. MITCHELL.

DOOR PLATE AND LETTER SLIP.

No. 445,068. Patented Jan. 20,1891.

r lTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER F. MITCHELL, OF MERRILL, \VISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTHS TO WALTER A. SCOTT, P. B. CHAMPAGNE, AND JOHN N.

COTTER, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

DOOR-PLATE AND LETTER-SLlP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,068, dated January 20, 1891.

Application filed September 3, 1890. Serial No. 363,835. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Omvnn F. MIToHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Merrill, in the county of Lincoln and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Iniprovements in a Combined Door-Plate and Letter-Slip, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain novel improvements in door-plates, and the purpose thereof is to provide a combined name'plate and letter-slip, whereby a letter-carrier may by simply unfastening one end of the nameplate swing the latter open and disclose a slot or opening, through which the letters or other mail matter may be introduced without opening the door and without the necessity of arousing the family by ringing the bell, thereby enabling the carrier to make his rounds in much less time and affording perfect security to the mail-matter deposited, which may be received either upon the floor in the interior or within a box or other suitable receptacle properly arranged in reference to said slot.

My invention consists to these ends in the several novel features of construction and new combinations of parts hereinafter fully set forth, and then pointed out in the claims which follow this specification.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and practice my said invention, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail View showing several parts of the device in perspective and separated one from the other.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates the door of a house, having any suitable constructi0n,and provided with a slot 2, adapted for the insertion of letters and other mail-matter. Surrounding this slot is a frame 3, preferably formed of metal and having any desired ornamentation. This frame is provided with a rectangular opening, which is partly filled by a thin web 4, surrounding the letter-slip or slot, with the exception of one end thereof. At this end the name-plate 5 is hinged, the same being composed of a thin plate of metal or other suitable material,having upon its end a pivot-bar (i, the ends thereof lying in sockets formed in the end of the frame-plate 3, said sockets being preferably open upon the inner face of the plate to simplify and cheapen the construction and to facilitate the insertion and removal of the pivot-bar. The plate 5 is provided with lot ters, which indicate the name of the occupant, or, if preferred, with figures giving the number of the house and the street upon which it is situated. Upon the swinging end of the name-plate 5 is pivoted a button 6, which, when the plate is closed, lies in a semicircular opening 7 in the web 4 and turns bya knob 8 upon the pivot until its end swings under the end of the frame, thereby fastening the nameplate securely. The name-plate,witl1 its pivotbar, is inserted beneath the frame 3, and, passing through the slot in the web 4, it is turned into substantially the same plane with said frame, thereby bringing the ends of the pivotbar into the open sockets in said frame, where they are retained by the union of the frame with the door. This construction provides an extremely simple, cheap, and convenient method of effecting the operative union of the parts and avoids the costly and troublesome methods of manufacture in which finished journal-bearings are provided for the swinging plate. I also largely diminish the danger of fracture of these parts, since the pivot-bar has a loose bearing, is wholly supported throughout its length, and is protected in a material degree from strain, which would tend to produce rupture. This construction affords a simple, inexpensive, and easily-operated letter-slip, which also serves the purpose of a name-plate, the whole cost of production being but a trifle in excess of that involved in the manufacture of the name plate alone.

hat I claim is- 1. A combined. name-plate and letter-slip consisting of a frame-plate having a letterslot and provided in its rear side with upper and lower pivot-sockets. and a, name-plate located in front of the slot and having at one end a continuous pivot-bar projecting at its ends above and below the edges of the plate and seated in the pivot-sockets at the rear of the frame-plate, substantially as described.

2. The combined name-plate and letter-slip herein set forth, the same consisting of an ornamental frame surrounding a letter-slot in the door and provided with a thin web lying within the interior of said frame and cut away to expose the letter-slot, a name-plate having a pivot-pin atone end, the extremities.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig- 2o nature in presence of two witnesses.

OLIVER F. MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

J AMES L. NORRIS, GEO. W. REA. 

